Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 57 | 11 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 66% | 64 | 365 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 90% | 84 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 3 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 1.3 up / 0.1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (25)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“Xenon Racer wants to become this generation's Ridge Racer. Unfortunately it can't quite get the formula right and thanks to some rather annoying niggles lacks the fun-factor that made Ridge Racer what it was.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“It’s not often we recommend you play a Nintendo Switch game on a different platform, but there’s simply no way we could advise you to pick this up right now in its current state.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Xenon Racer isn't a terrible racing game, but in order to enjoy it you need to overlook the game's atrocious handling, horrible difficulty spikes, and general mediocrity. Not having big ambitions is fine for a game as long as it's fun, but developer 3D Clouds is wide of the mark on both counts.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“Xenon Racer doesn't have anything that makes it particularly unique, so even the best port would still be mediocre. The one way it truly manages to go above and beyond is by doing its best to hide its shoddy port right up to its pre-rendered gameplay footage in the intro that was clearly recorded on a different system. If you're in a desperate fix for a new racing game there are worse options than Xenon Racer, but make sure you pick it up on another system, because even the added portability on Switch can't make this version worth the cost of admission.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“I felt like Xenon was love at first sight. My first 4-5 races were absolutely a blast. Then the warts start showing up and really ruined the experience.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Xenon Racer is made for those who have laser focus and dedication to nailing every detail.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Xenon Racer is a perfectly serviceable arcade racer, but the significant technical shortcomings of the Switch port make it difficult to recommend in its current state.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“There's a ton of potential in Xenon Racer, but while it looks and sounds the part, its difficulty level and overly weighty handling keep it firmly stuck in the slow lane.”
read full review ↗ - 20
“Maybe there’s a fun game in here somewhere, however, Xenon Racer is simply not ready for release on Switch and certainly shouldn’t be $50. Fast RMX is available for $20. Buy that instead. It looks a hell of a lot better, both in docked and handheld, and runs at 60 frames per second. Plus it doesn’t make me ill.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Ultimately, while Xenon Racer‘s initially frustrating difficulty barrier can be overcome, its blurry visuals, brief campaign and awful announcer take the shine off of the whole experience. ”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Xenon Racer delivers a drift-based futuristic racing game with a fun, retro vibe, but that is let down a little by its slippery controls.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“For those looking for a competent arcade racer that takes no prisoners; then Xenon Racer is definitely up your alley.”
read full review ↗
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Nintendo Life
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Checkpoint Gaming
TheSixthAxis
CDavis_Games
GameSpew
Screen Rant
PowerUp!…and 13 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- An update from the Xenon Racer Team!Dec 20, 2019
- New Free Content Update brings you to NevadaJul 18, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- A new patch just dropped!May 29, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Free Content Update & Demo available now!May 17, 2019
- Xenon Racer DLC incoming + Patch Notes #3Apr 24, 2019
- SOEDESCO Time - News Update | Week 14-15Apr 12, 2019
- Xenon Racer - Patch notes #2Apr 4, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- News update! New SOEDESCO Time episodeMar 29, 2019
- Xenon Racer patch notes #1Mar 27, 2019